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<p class=MsoNormal>I guess I shouldn't be but I am always astounded when I hear
about things like this still happening! It's shameful! Read on!<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>Susan<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><br>
On the eve of our 70th anniversary as an organization, I am deeply <br>
saddened to distribute the below message, about a blind couple in <br>
Missouri whose newborn daughter was taken away from them by CPS, <br>
merely because they are blind. This situation affects all of us, <br>
especially since many of us are current or future blind parents, and <br>
it's a shocking reminder of how much work remains ahead of us as an <br>
organization. I urge you to read the below and to consider donating to <br>
this cause, either directly or by helping to babysit at convention to <br>
raise money for this family. <br>
>From the NFB of Missouri: <br>
Erica and Blake, a young couple were awaiting the birth of their first <br>
child with joy and happiness. Baby Mikaela was born at 12:45pm, May 21. Not <br>
unlike many new mothers, Erica experienced some difficulty in her <br>
first breast feeding <br>
of Mikaela; she called the nurse for some advice. By 6:00pm child <br>
protective services arrived at the hospital to say the parents could not <br>
take Mikaela home, unless they had a sighted person to live with them. <br>
In all the investigations, blindness is the only reason sited for the <br>
parents not being allowed to leave with their new baby girl. <br>
The Missouri affiliate has hired an attorney at $250 per hour, and <br>
her assistant at $85 per hour to bring Mikaela home where she belongs! <br>
Please help with any donations possible to unite this family. You may <br>
stop by the Missouri table, B 114 in the exhibit hall, or come by our <br>
delegation. <br>
We, the National Federation of the Blind can bring Mikaela home to <br>
her parents where she belongs! Thank you for any help you can give. <br>
And a more recent update: <br>
I just spoke with NFB of Missouri President Gary Wunder. Here is
the latest: <br>
<br>
The parents initially thought that if they played by the rules, <br>
surely the judge would give them ba ck their daughter at the first <br>
hearing. However, this did not happen, so a second hearing was <br>
scheduled for June 16. At this point, the parents realized that they <br>
needed an advocate and contacted the NFB of Missouri. After visiting <br>
with the couple in their home and determining that there were no <br>
extenuating circumstances and that blindness was the only concern CPS <br>
had about these parents, the NFB hired an attorney to assist them. The <br>
cost of this attorney is $250 an hour, and $85 for the services of the <br>
attorney's assistant. <br>
<br>
About two weeks ago, on June 16, the parents had their second <br>
hearing. The judge seemed outraged that the hospital had taken the <br>
child from this couple with so little cause and was further astounded <br>
that the hospital had never dealt with blind parents before. <br>
Unfortunately, this was not an evidentiary hearing, so no decisions <br>
were made and it was announced that there would need to b e a third <br>
hearing. The problem is that this judge is going on vacation, so the <br>
earliest they could get a hearing with her was on July 20. The parents <br>
could have chosen to get an earlier hearing date with a different <br>
judge, but their attorney advised them to wait for this judge to <br>
return from vacation, because she had seemed so sympathetic and on <br>
their side at the second hearing. <br>
<br>
So, the situation as it now stands is that the parents are <br>
awaiting their third hearing on July 20, with this hopefully <br>
sympathetic judge. Meanwhile, the NFB of Missouri is paying for the <br>
parents to receive voc rehab training, to get letters from the state <br>
VR agency saying that these parents can indeed perform the tasks that <br>
were of concern to CPS. The NFB realizes that we shouldn't have to get <br>
a permission slip from the state VR agency to have kids, but their <br>
main focus at this time is to address the ridiculous "But, how does a <br>
blind person do that?" concerns of the hospital and CPS and get baby <br>
Micaela back with her parents where she belongs. So, the NFB of <br>
Missouri is incurring additional costs, as they are paying out of <br>
pocket for these voc rehab services for the couple. <br>
<br>
Gary asked me to pass along that the NFB of Missouri welcomes <br>
donations to help defray the sky-rocketing legal expenses and the cost <br>
of getting letters from VR professionals asserting that these parents <br>
have received training in the skills of parenting and can perform the <br>
required tasks. They are setting up a specific fund for these <br>
donations. You can make a contribution at the NFB of Missouri's <br>
affiliate table in the Exhibit Hall or by visiting Gary in the <br>
Missouri delegation during General Session. <br>
<br>
If you can't make a monetary donation or if you'd like to help <br>
further, I'm collecting names and contact info of Federationists who <br>
would be willing to baby-sit during Convention for parents who want to <br>
get out for an evening or even just attend a few Convention events <br>
without their children, and donate the proceeds to the NFB of Missouri <br>
to help with the legal costs of returning Micaela to her parents. <br>
<br>
If you'd like to volunteer your time, please contact me at <br>
<a href="mailto:stacy_cervenka@brownback.senate.gov">stacy_cervenka@brownback.senate.gov</a>
or on my cell at 708-359-3301. <br>
Please let me know the best way to contact you at Convention, a little <br>
bit about your experience with kids (this might include being a parent <br>
yourself, having worked as a counselor at a summer program, etc.), and <br>
which times you would be available. <br>
<br>
Furthermore, feel free to share my contact info with any parents <br>
who might be interested in this service during Convention. <br>
<br>
Thanks, <br>
<br>
Stacy Leigh Cervenka <br>
Legislative Assistant <br>
Office of Senator Sam Brownback (KS) <br>
303 Hart Senate Office Bui lding <br>
Phone: (202) 224-6521 <br>
Email: <a href="mailto:stacy_cervenka@brownback.senate.gov">stacy_cervenka@brownback.senate.gov</a>
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>QQ<o:p></o:p></p>
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